About Finland

Finland, officially speaking Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the region Scandinavia of northern Europe and has a eight thousands years old history. According to archaeological evidence, the area now composing Finland was settled at the latest around 8500 BCE during the Stone Age as the ice shield of the last ice age receded. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland. The capital city is Helsinki.

Finland, a young state, its landscapes offer a magnificent themes of forest and water, Yet each region has its distinct character, from the wilds of Lapland to the inspiring lakes of the East and the archipelagos of the South-West. Finland is full of interesting contrasts, such as the four seasons, the midnight sun and the long winter nights and the different cultural heritages ot the Eastern and Western parts of the country. The colours of Finland’s national flag with its blue cross on a white background stand for the country: blue represents the hundreds of thousands lakes while white stands for snow, ice and the light summer nights. In terms of area, Finland is the seventh biggest country in Europe; 10 % of its surface is covered by water and 69 % by forests.

Around 5.3 million people reside in Finland, The native language for most of the population is Finnish, The other official language of Finland, Swedish, is the mother tongue of 5.5 percent of the population. A total of a million residents live in Greater Helsinki area and a third of the country's GDP is produced there. Other major cities include Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio and Lahti where the comforts of modern life are never far away.

Finland was historically a part of Sweden and from 1809 within the Russian Empire. Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917 was followed by a civil war, and a period of official neutrality during the Cold War. Findland joind the European Union in 1995. Finland has been ranked the second most stable country in the world, in a survey based on social, economic, political, and military indicators.

As a small country, Finland has played a conciliatory role in world economics as well as in politics. In 1955, Finland joined the Nordic Council and the UN. In 1995, Finland became a member of the European Union and formed the European Monetary Union with ten other member states in 1999. In 2002, the euro was introduced as the official currency of Finland after becoming a member of European union in 1995. Finnish euro coins bear heraldic lion motifs. Nowadays Finland, renowned for its scenic beauty, is characterized by its high level of education and technology.

Finland has good results in many international comparisons such as the share of high-technology manufacturing, public education, health care, the rate of gross domestic product growth, and the protection of civil liberties. Like other Nordic countries, Finland has liberalized its economy since the late 1980s. Financial and product market regulation was loosened. Some state enterprises have been privatized and there have been some modest tax cuts.